2002 NRCHA Hackamore Classic

Lyn Anderson, Madera, Calif., rode Smart Time Tuck to claim the Open Championship. She then watched her customer Tish Wilhite of Clovis, Calif., and Tequila Slide sweep all of the Non-Pro classes. Open reserve honors went to Jon Roeser, Lemoore, Calif., who rode Smart As Jerry. Roeser also won the All-Around Championship riding Chex Out This Remedy. All-Around Reserve went to Russell Dilday, Porterville, Cailf., who rode Peppys Hot Chic. Kevin Stallings, Tuscon, Ariz., won the Limited Open Championship riding NMSU Truckin Chex, while Eric Freitas, Santa Maria, Calif., rode Shiners Hickory to claim the Reserve title.

Sponsors for the Hackamore Classic were the Winnemuca Convention & Visitors Authority, Bayer Corporation, Cinch, Inc., Flowmaster, MD Barns, Platinum Performance, Inc., Purina Mills, Inc., Skyline Silversmiths, Sundowner Trailers, Winners Hotels of Winnemuca and the Humboldt County Events Center.

Open Horse - Smart Time Tuck-97G

(Senors Lil Brudder x Smoke Time Tuck x Doc Tom Tucker)
Rider - Lyn Anderson, Madera, Calif.
Owner - Kathy Schaefer, Watsonville, Calif.

When Lyn Anderson climbs aboard Smart Time Tuck, she sits back, relaxes and enjoys her flight. The gelding has matured well into his 5-year-old year. Two years ago the co-pilot button was only blinking.

"He was a bit panicky about the fence work as a 3-year-old," said Anderson, "the extra speed bothered him. Now he is just right there with his maturity level. It's almost like I don't need to do anything, he understands what we need to do."

The gelding understood that consistency pays as he placed second in all three classes of competition. The pair accumulated a combined score of 441 to win first place among 23 entries in the Open. They were awarded with a $6,659 paycheck.

"He was really good (in Winnemuca)," said Anderson. "He is probably the easiest horse that I've had to show in the rein work. In the fence work, the cattle were really good for him and me because they were fast. We had a hard running cow and he stayed right up there."

Anderson commented that she had a little trouble getting him shown in the herd work, but the gelding stayed focused and worked through the herd as best he could.

Anderson calls the horse "Zip" because he is fast and quick. She has enjoyed riding him ever since his 2-year-old year for owner Kathy Schaefer who bought him from Skip Brown that same year. Zip was limitedly shown his 4-year-old year, due to an injury that sidelined Anderson for half of the year. So Schaefer stepped up and showed him Non-Pro. Last September, Anderson and Zip returned with a win at the Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Hackamore class.

"This year has been just a dream," said Anderson. A dream that started early on in the year with a second place finish at the Hackamore Stakes in Scottsdale, Ariz., and a first place saddle win at a local California show. They were finalists at the 2001 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity as well. After their win in Winnemuca, Anderson is looking forward to showing at the Derby at Woodside, Salinas and again at Reno in the fall.

Limited Open Horse - NMSU Truckin Chex-98S

(Nu Chex To Cash x NMSU Doc Truckle CJ x CJ Sugar)
Rider - Kevin Stallings, Tucson, Ariz.
Owner - Kevin Stallings & Craig Reay, Tucson, Ariz.

It was a real treat for Kevin Stallings, 46, to win on what might be one of his all-time favorite horses.

"If he is not the best horse I've ever rode, he sure is close," said Stallings.

NMSU Truckin Chex and Stallings compiled 433 total points to win $1,309.50 in the Limited Open.

"I just had three really good runs," Stallings said. "In the cutting he was really good. I cut one bad cow that was kind of tough but we got by him and then we cut two other cows that were really good."

The pair marked a 144 to earn second place in the herd work. In the rein work, they marked a 143, which was good enough for third place.

"In the reining he stopped real big. He was a little sticky in the turn arounds or we probably would have marked higher."

When it came time for fence work, Elvis, as the 4-year-old stallion is known, and Stallings came out on top of the pack with a score of 146.

"He is a great fence horse," said Stallings. "He can really run and stop. It seems really easy for him."

The bay stallion was purchased by Stallings and friend, Craig Reay, in the Spring of 2002, from Russell Tharp, Silver City, N.M. The stallion was bred and raised by the New Mexico State University horse program. Stallings had previously worked with the stallion, since Tharp brought the stallion to him during his 3-year-old year.

Stallings has great plans for the stallion's future. He is planning to take him to the Derby and will show him next year at all of the major aged events. Stallings likes him so much he hopes to build a breeding program around him.

"He is just super athletic, he has a great attitude and is really cowy," he said. "We've got several good mares bred to him this year and hopefully we will have a good colt crop."

Non-Pro/$50,000 Non-Pro/Amateur

Horse - Tequila Slide-98M (PT)
(Freckle Face Smoke x Smokey Tequila x Docs Gunsmoke)
Rider - Tish Wilhite, Clovis, Calif.
Owner - Tish Wilhite

Tish Wilhite and Tequila Slide out-bested 25 Non-Pro competitors, to take home Championship honors in three different divisions. Wilhite knew that fate had to be on her side.

"It was just one of those deals that was meant to be," Wilhite said graciously. "My horse was just in a great mood the entire time."

Wilhite took home a collection of hackamores and a paycheck for $6,477.

Normally Wilhite, 40, spends a lot of time loping her 4-year-old Paint mare before she is ready to show. But there must have been something in the Nevada air that prepared the mare for competition. The first day was the herd work and after about 10 minutes of warming up outside, Wilhite felt ready to show. Wilhite went to trainer Lyn Anderson for advice because she was hesitant about the mare's readiness to show. Anderson told her if the mare felt ready to show, then she should go show.

Wilhite found success in the herd, placing first in the $50,000 Non-Pro and Amateur. Wilhite was comfortable at the controls, as she had spent numerous hours on top of cutting horses several years before.

The next two days of rein and cow work followed much like the day before. "T Pony", as Wilhite calls her, was ready to go with a light warm-up. Again, Wilhite placed first in the rein work in two of the three classes. The pair was on a roll when it came time to take a cow down the fence.

"The fence work is my weakest area," said Wilhite. She feels confident in the herd because of her previous cutting experience, and she is comfortable with the rein work since she showed reining as a youth, but the fence work has been a real challenge.

"Tish wasn't real sure she liked the fence work at first," said trainer Lyn Anderson. "She used to dread coming to lessons with me because I would make her go down the fence. But she hung in there though and made me real proud in Winnemuca."

"Lyn has been a tremendous support and help," said Wilhite. "I couldn't have done it with out her."

Wilhite hid her weakness well, as she placed first in the cow work in all three divisions. It helps when you have a good horse that is willing and up to a challenge.

Wilhite bought the Paint mare two years ago on Valentine's Day from her veterinarian Mike Stabbe. Wilhite's mom, who is a huge supporter, fell in love with the 2-year-old filly and together they decided to take her home. T Pony is the first Paint that Wilhite has owned.

She would eventually like to take her mare to the American Paint Horse World Show, but is focusing her efforts on achieving success in the NRCHA first. Tequila Slide has earned her certificate of ability and has received Superior recognition. She has about $7,000 more dollars along with show experience in the bridle to receive her Supreme award.

Support from family always helps, and Wilhite appreciates her parents for theirs. She also has the support of fiancee Brian Avery, who helps her run Cattle Rustlers, a steakhouse in Clovis, Calif.

Wilhite credits Avery for her wins in Winnemuca for the big bouquet of flowers he gave her before she left for the show. He usually gives them to her after a big win.

"I told him that it is good luck and now he has to bring me flowers every time I show," laughed Wilhite.

It worked once, can it possibly work again? Of course, Wilhite would probably have to say yes.

All-Around Horse - Chex Out This Remedy - 92S

(Docs Remedy x Fresnos Miss Chex x Bueno Chex)
Rider - Jon Roeser, Lemoore, Calif.
Owner - Jon Roeser

Jon Roeser worked veteran cow horse Chex Out This Remedy to win the all-round class. They scored a total of 570 points to win $1,650.

Out of 10 entries Roeser placed in the top four in all divisions. He started by finishing first in the herd work with 146.5. In the rein work he scored a 140, earned a 141.5 in the cow work, and finished second with a 142 in the roping.

Chex Out This Remedy and Roeser have had a good run since 1995 when they placed second at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity. The next year, they went to Reno and earned a Championship at the Stallion Stakes. According to Equi-Stat, a division of Cowboy Publishing, Chex Out This Remedy has won earnings that total over $79,000.

Chex Out This Remedy was purchased by Roeser from Alan and Kay Needle, in the summer of 2001. UC Partners, Corcoran, Calif., had been the horse's owner since 1994.

Roeser also placed second in the Open on Smart As Jerry, owned by Irene Harris, Fresno, Calif., and placed seventh in the Open on Starlight Q Tee, also owned by Harris.

In the 1999 World's Greatest Horseman contest, Jon Roeser and Chex Out This Remedy were Co-Reserve Champions. Roeser has competed four times in the World's Greatest Horseman contest. He was the 1990 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion, and has been reserve champion and a finalist in the event. Roeser shows in the cutting pen as well, and is an NCHA finalist.

Roeser trains performance horses in Lemoore, Calif., where he lives with his son Clay.